Screw driver



May 30, 1933.

J. o. STEWART 1,912,317

SCREW DRIVER Filed May 2, 1932 JO/Zi 0. Siezzrazw,

INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented May 38, 19 33 PATENT OFFICE JOHN C. STEWART, OF CASA, ARKANSAS,

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T ROBERT T. 2':

ROBERTSON AND ONE-THIRD T0 WILLIAM E. ROBERTSON, BOTH OF CASA, ARKANSAS SCREW DRIVER Application filed May 2, 1932. Serial No. 608,791.

The invention relates to screw drivers and more particularly to that class of screw driver having a screw grip or retainer.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a screw driver of this character, wherein the bit for a screw has in association therewith a screw holder which is automatically opened and closed to accommodate the head of the screw and to retain the same either when it is driven into the piece of work or removed therefrom, the holder for the screw being regulated manually so that the jaws will be opened or closed at the will of the operator of the screw driver.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a screw driver of this character which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and eflicient in its purposes, strong, durable, and inexpensive to 0 manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a screw driver constructed in accordance with the invention showing it acting upon a screw driven into a piece of work.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the screw driver, the same being partly in section.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the screw partly removed from a piece of work and held by the driver.

Figure i is a sectional view on the line k4: of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the screw driver.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the screw driver comprises a tubular barrel 1O having a flared inner ferrule end 11 into which is fitted a handle 12, the latter having a central bore 13 common to the bore of the barrel 10 and within this bore is a stem or shank 14-, the inner end portion 15 being rounded while the outer end portion 16 is squared in cross section. The inner end portion 15 is formed with a coupling terminal 17 engaging a threaded stud 18 of a fastener 19 countersunk in the free end of the handle 12.

Engaged upon the squared end portion 16 is a runner 20 carrying opposed jaws 21, these being pivoted at 22 to the runner 20. The jaws 21 are adapted to move inwardly and outwardly with relation to the barrel 10 by the shifting of the runner 20 which is joined with a connector strip 23 also joined with a collar 24lslidable on the inner end portion 15 of the stem 14. The collar has working against it a coiled expansion spring 25 trained about the end portion 15 with its other end seated upon the coupling part 17 and this spring 25 functions to shift the runner 20 outwardly through the open end of the barrel 10. The jaws 21 are formed with inwardly directed bights 26, these operating with an enlarged head 27 on the end portion 16 so that upon movement of the runner'20 the jaws will be automatically opened and closed.

Fitted within the head 27 is the bit 28 of the screw driver to engage and operate upon a screw 29 for the driving of the same into a piece of work A or its removal therefrom. The jaws 21 will engage the head of the screw 29 to hold the same fitted with a bit 28 of the screw driver as is shown in F igure 3 of the drawing.

Fitted in the connector strip 23 is a lug 30, the same projected through a clearance or slot 31 formed in the handle 12 and this lug carries a finger piece 32, the latter having a socket 333 for the lug 30 and opposite side wings 34 of the finger piece have formed therein registering slots 35 for a connecting 795 pivot 36 mounted in the lug 30, thus it being seen that the finger piece 34 can be shifted to the position shown in Figure 1 whereby the jaws 21 will be held within the barrel l0 and also shifted to the position shown in i Figure 8 of the drawing the finger piece 32 being swung outwardly and the lug engaging in the socket 33 therein by slight 1nward movement of said finger piece, thus locking the latter rigid with the lug and in this fashion the runner 20 can be shifted against the resistance of the spring 25 within the handle 12 of the screw driver.

In the operation of the screw driver it will be apparent from Figure 2 of the drawing that the bit 28 exposed through the tubular barrel 10, which is the normal and constant position of such bit, can be engaged with the head of the screw 29 so that the latter can be turned from within a piece of Work to have the head of such screw away from the work so that when the finger piece 32 is manipulated by first pulling the same outwardly for the extension thereof at right angles to the shank 14 and locking the same with the lug 30, then the finger piece can be shifted to move the connector strip 23. The movement of this connector strip 23 in the direction of the open end of the barrel will cause the jaws 21 to assume a spread position whereby the head of the screw 29 will enter between such jaws 21, then on reverse movement of the connector strip 23, these jaws will grasp the head of the screw 29 to attach the screw driver with the latter. It is of course understood that the bit 28 will enter the reception slot in the head of the screw 29. In this fashion the screw can be turned from the work.

In the application of the screw 29 in the work the head of such screw will be grasped by the jaws 21 in a like manner as hereinbefore described. The screw 29 is grasped by the jaws 21 as is clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

What is claimed is 1. A screw driver comprising a barrel carrying a handle, a shank held fixed within the handle and coextensive with the barrel, a runner on the shank, screw holding jaws carried by the runner, means for tensioning the runner, means for shifting the runner upon the shank, and a bit head on the shank and coacting with the jaws to effect the auto matic opening and closing of said jaws.

2. A screw driver comprising a barrel carrying a handle, a shank held fixed within the handle and coextensive with the barrel, :1 runner on the shank, screw holding jaws carried by the runner, means for tensioning the runner, means for shifting the runner upon the shank, a bit head on the shank and coacting with the jaws to efiect the automatic opening and closing of said jaws, and a finger piece foldably carried by the said means.

8. A screw driver comprising a barrel carrying a handle, a shank held fixed within the handle and coextensive with the barrel, a runner on the shank, screw holding jaws carried by the runner, means for tensioning the runner, means for shifting the runner upon the shank, a bit head on the shank and coacting with the jaws to effect the automatic opening and closing of said jaws, a finger piece foldably carried by the said means, and means for detachably securing the shank in the head.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN O. STEWART. 

